The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a sixth prosecution complaint before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, naming 42 individuals and companies as accused1. The filing states that the Mahadev online betting app and its sister websites generated proceeds of crime worth Rs 94,400 crore over the last 10 years1.
The ED said the main Mahadev platform is still operating and running a large number of panels1. It estimated the app generated Rs 75,000 crore to Rs 80,000 crore during the last seven years of its operations, since 20191. Sister sites Skyexchange.com and Lotus365.com generated about Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 2,400 crore respectively, according to the agency, with Skyexchange.com operational since 20161. The ED described these figures as a provisional estimate1.
"As per the latest findings of the investigation under PMLA, 2002, it is found that Mahadev Online Booking Application is still in operations and running huge number of panels"
The agency said the app offers betting on poker, card games, chance games, and cricket, badminton, tennis and football, and also card games such as Teen Patti and Dragon Tiger, plus betting on Indian elections1. It said the operation advertises through closed WhatsApp and Telegram groups and Facebook pages1. The ED alleged the operation ran with the "active support and connivance" of local police and politicians in Chhattisgarh, and that bureaucrats and politically exposed persons received illegal gratification1.
The ED opened its PMLA case in October 2022, based on seven police FIRs filed in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal1. It has arrested 14 people, seized and attached assets worth Rs 2,104 crore, identified 116 accused across six charge sheets, and searched 190 premises nationwide1. A TV host who promoted betting apps gave the agency two demand drafts totaling Rs 1.20 crore out of Rs 1.50 crore she earned from endorsements; the ED raided her homes in Delhi and Mumbai in May and seized Rs 30 lakh in cash1. Panel operators from Bhilai, Raipur, Bhopal and Delhi allegedly earned between about Rs 3.5 crore and Rs 60 crore, the agency said1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total alleged proceeds of crime | Rs 94,400 crore over 10 years1 |
| Mahadev app, since 2019 | Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 crore1 |
| Skyexchange.com | Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 crore1 |
| Lotus365.com | Rs 2,400 crore1 |
| Assets seized or attached | Rs 2,104 crore1 |
| People arrested | 141 |
| Accused identified across six charge sheets | 1161 |
What it means for players
Betting on apps such as Mahadev, Skyexchange and Lotus365 is treated by Indian authorities as illegal betting, and money moving through them is treated as proceeds of crime1. That means winnings, deposits and withdrawals connected to these platforms can be frozen, seized or attached during an investigation, as happened with Rs 2,104 crore in assets in this case1. People who promote such apps, including through endorsements, have faced raids and demands to surrender earnings, as in the case of the TV host who returned Rs 1.20 crore1. The ED says the platforms remain active despite the case, so the risk of enforcement action against users and promoters continues1. For the wider legal position in the country, see Can I Gamble in India? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
The sixth prosecution complaint has been filed before the special PMLA court in Raipur1. The ED said its proceeds-of-crime figures are provisional and that it will present better estimates to the court if further evidence emerges1. No hearing dates or trial schedule have been reported.
